Living in Daybreak, South Jordan, Utah

We have lived in Daybreak, South Jordan, Utah since 2013 when we retired. It is quite a new community and we live in the oldest part of it called Founder's Park. There is a lake with walkways and bridges. It is the perfect place to take a stroll or bring your grandchildren to play at the many parks. Our daughter lives on a couple of blocks from us so we feel at home here.

Changing Climates in Retirement

My husband and the taro he grew in Hawaii

Bees buzzed around basil blossoms and passion fruit tendrils. Our little raised bed garden boasted chives, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and green peppers amidst rosemary and thyme. Then we retired and moved to the desert in the valley of the Rocky Mountains. I grieved for all our little plants we had left behind.It was late October and autumn leaves were scattered all around the sidewalks as trees shed their glory.

A week later, the earth and all the plants were white with fluffy snow. We had been living in Polynesia for most of our married life. My husband raised bananas and root crops popular with the islanders in a plot nearby. How would we be able to adjust to a climate with four seasons? We had been spoiled with year round moderate weather, and had concerned ourselves with bolting plants on the hottest days or fighting off occasional insects and blight.

I had cherished every afternoon weeding and nourishing our small backyard garden and then harvested lettuce, green onions, kale, cucumbers, Swiss chard and beetroot for our dinner. It was a very satisfactory way to get exercise and eat healthy. Moving to the desert meant short days and purchasing most of our food.

I was delighted to find that my daughter-in-law had sensed my grief in leaving behind our gardens. She had gotten us a beautiful orchid, aloe vera in a pot, and a small potted banana plant with a new shoot protruding from the soil.

I now find pleasure in keeping my new plants watered and watching them grow inch by inch. We have started a compost pile with the autumn leaves, rabbit manure as well as vegetable and fruit peelings. We look forward to the early spring when we can begin our new garden and educate ourselves about raising crops that are suited to our new climate.

The USA has been divided into zones according to hardiness by the USDA.

You can go here: http://www.garden.org/zipzone/index.php?img=nwusa
and check your location.

According to our zip code, our new hardiness zone is 6 B. It also gives suggestions of what you can do month to month, which is very helpful. It gives a regional report from the National Gardening Association.

We joined a gardening association and get a helpful magazine each month.

Move from the Mainland to Hawaii

So, you are moving to Hawaii. Lucky you! Beautiful scenery, temperate weather, and beaches! Living in Paradise has some perks, and also some extra costs. You will be better prepared and assimilate faster into the community if you are aware of a few things.
Hawaii is a group of islands in the middle of the huge Pacific Ocean. It is the 50th state to join the United States. The more that you learn about the history of Hawaii, the better you can understand those around you. If you show a love and respect for the culture and especially the land ('aina), you will have a much more positive experience.

Try to learn a few basic Hawaiian words and their meanings. The population is so diverse, but for the most part they speak in English and pidgin (a mixture of dialects). Most of the people who live in Hawaii share the aloha spirit, but you may find that a few are quite resentful of the way Hawaii became a state. Most of all, do not be judgmental and try to learn all you can from the people.
You will find that because the weather is fairly good all year round, the insects love it too. In order to avoid infestations by termites, cockroaches, mosquitoes and other creatures, you will need to spray or put out baits on a regular basis. It is better to control them than to get rid of them.

The moist salty air is perfect for rusting just about everything. Vehicles and appliances seem to suffer the most. There is rust spray available that you can use to slow down the process. Also, mold and mildew can form quite easily especially in places where it is warm and moist like the kitchen and bathrooms. It takes extra effort to keep this under control unless you have an air conditioner going all the time. This can be harmful to your health if the mold is allowed to grow.

Also, food items seem to go bad quicker unless they are stored well inside of plastic air-tight containers. You can also keep many things in the refrigerator or freezer that you may not have in the mainland.
When there is no breeze, it can become quite hot and humid. Be sure to purchase enough fans or air conditioners to make your family comfortable. With the use of electricity comes a higher bill also, so think about cost-effective appliances.

Traffic on the island of Oahu can become very frustrating, especially close to Honolulu. Also, there is only one main road going to the North Shore of Oahu, so it can also be totally cut off if there is an accident or an electricity pole falls down on the road.

It is wonderful to have sandy beaches and palm trees close by. But, as I said, living in Paradise does come with a cost. In fact, prices in Hawaii are some of the highest in the nation. The cost of gasoline, groceries and clothes can be quite expensive. There are Walmarts, Costco and Sam's Clubs where you can get the best deals. The cost of housing can be two or three times as much as on the mainland. It is also usually smaller than what most people on the mainland are used to.

Funny though, even with all the pros and cons of Hawaii, people who have lived in and loved the islands of Hawaii do not want to leave, or hope to move back soon. We have been living here for almost twenty years now and really love it. I have learned many lessons the hard way, so I thought writing this hub may help someone that is moving here have an easier time.

There is so much to see and do in Hawaii. Hiking, swimming, golfing, cruising and gardening are just a few things that can be done almost year round. Because of this, you probably will not want for visiting family and friends from the mainland while you live in Hawaii.

Changing Climates in Retirement

Bees buzzed around basil blossoms and passion fruit tendrils. Our little raised bed garden boasted chives, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and green peppers amidst rosemary and thyme. Then we retired and moved to the desert in the valley of the Rocky Mountains. I grieved for all our little plants we had left behind.It was late October and autumn leaves were scattered all around the sidewalks as trees shed their glory.

A week later, the earth and all the plants were white with fluffy snow. We had been living in Polynesia for most of our married life. My husband raised bananas and root crops popular with the islanders in a plot nearby. How would we be able to adjust to a climate with four seasons? We had been spoiled with year round moderate weather, and had concerned ourselves with bolting plants on the hottest days or fighting off occasional insects and blight.

I had cherished every afternoon weeding and nourishing our small backyard garden and then harvested lettuce, green onions, kale, cucumbers, Swiss chard and beetroot for our dinner. It was a very satisfactory way to get exercise and eat healthy. Moving to the desert meant short days and purchasing most of our food.

I was delighted to find that my daughter-in-law had sensed my grief in leaving behind our gardens. She had gotten us a beautiful orchid, aloe vera in a pot, and a small potted banana plant with a new shoot protruding from the soil.

I now find pleasure in keeping my new plants watered and watching them grow inch by inch. We have started a compost pile with the autumn leaves, rabbit manure as well as vegetable and fruit peelings. We look forward to the early spring when we can begin our new garden and educate ourselves about raising crops that are suited to our new climate.

The USA has been divided into zones according to hardiness by the USDA.

You can go here:http://www.garden.org/zipzone/index.php?img=nwusa

and check your location.

According to our zip code, our new hardiness zone is 6 B. It also gives suggestions of what you can do month to month, which is very helpful. It gives a regional report from the National Gardening Association.

We joined a gardening association and get a helpful magazine each month.

Almost to Retirement and Making the Tough Decisions

Almost to Retirement and Making the Tough Decisions

As one of the so-called "baby boomers", we are nearing retirement. In fact, there are three people in my office that I work with who are taking early retirement. Almost on a daily basis, I hear them talking about how excited they are to be retired, how much they will live off of, and what they will be doing.

I thought having an empty nest was quite a difficult adjustment. Now, faced with retirement, I can see that it takes a lot of planning and can get pretty complicated.

http://elayne001.hubpages.com/hub/Almost-to-Retirement-and-Making-the-Tough-Decisions